


Some People You Just Can't Live Without

by isnt_that_wizard



Series: Shadowhunter Shorts [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec and Magnus love each other, Alec is worried for his siblings, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Isabelle Lightwood, Hurt Jace Wayland, I know literally nothing about medicine or human anatomy, Jace and Alec are bffs, Jace and Izzy get into a car crash, M/M, Sad Alec, bear with me, but listen, he loves them a lot, human!AU, practically parabatai anyway, so I'm sure all by doctor babble is inaccurate nonsense, this takes place in a hospital
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 14:20:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17602952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isnt_that_wizard/pseuds/isnt_that_wizard
Summary: "Magnus. . ." Alec paused, not quite sure what to say."I, um. . . Shit, I know I'm the last person you want to hear from right now, that you probably hate me. I just, I, um. . . Magnus, I'm sitting in the hospital right now."Alec could feel himself cracking, his voice higher as he forced the tears in his eyes to stay."Izzy and Jace got in a car accident. It was really bad, and. . . Fuck, Magnus, they don't know if Jace is gonna make it."Alec let out a sob, covering his mouth with his hand as the other gripped the phone tightly. He tried to take a deep breath though it stuttered and shook."I don't, I don't know what to do. I feel like I can't even breathe, and I just. . . I need to hear your voice right now. Call me back? Please, Magnus."__________________When Jace and Izzy get into a car accident, Alec is heartbroken and desperately worried for his siblings. The doctors aren't sure if Jace will recover and since he's fighting with Magnus, his boyfriend of five months, Alec's scared he might be losing everything.





	Some People You Just Can't Live Without

 

"Magnus. . ." Alec paused, not quite sure what to say.

 

 

"I, um. . . Shit, I know I'm the last person you want to hear from right now, that you probably hate me. I just, I, um. . . Magnus, I'm sitting in the hospital right now."

 

 

Alec could feel himself cracking, his voice higher as he forced the tears in his eyes to stay.

 

 

"Izzy and Jace got in a car accident. It was really bad, and. . . _Fuck,_ Magnus, they don't know if Jace is gonna make it."

 

 

Alec let out a sob, covering his mouth with his hand as the other gripped the phone tightly. He tried to take a deep breath though it stuttered and shook.

 

 

"I don't, I don't know what to do. I feel like I can't even breathe, and I just. . . I need to hear your voice right now. Call me back? Please, Magnus."

 

 

With that, Alec let the phone fall into his lap as he ended the message. He stared blankly at the ugly tile floor as tears stained his cheeks, dripping down to his shirt.

 

 

_________

 

 

When he'd gotten the call, Alec thought his heart might stop. He had been so silent, almost afraid to breathe as he listened to a hospital employee tell him that he'd been found as the emergency contact not once, but twice. He'd gripped the phone as tightly as he could as he was given the list of injuries that decorated his siblings. Isabelle Lightwood, a concussion, broken arm, and sprained ankle. She was being treated and fit for casts, but relatively okay, though shaken. Jonathan Christopher Wayland, found unconscious, barely breathing. Apart from a likely severe concussion, it seemed as through a broken rib had pierced one of his lungs. They were taking him in to try and repair it now. Alec had let out tears as it was described that a drunk driver, running a red light, had smashed into the driver's side of his brother's car, sending them spinning and tipping.

 

 

Jace had been adopted by Maryse and Robert Lightwood as a ten year old. Though Alec had originally wanted nothing to do with the younger boy- he and Izzy were _fine_ by themselves- they soon became family. It didn't matter that there was no blood shared between them, they were brothers, best friends, partners in crime. They knew each other inside and out, able to read each other's every emotion. Maryse had always joked that it was like they had a psychic connection, that they were linked. The boys never really thought it was a joke.

 

 

To be sitting in a hospital wait room right now, the doctors not knowing how badly Jace's head wound was, whether or not they could repair his punctured lung, heal his cuts and broken bones, Alec thought he could die. He needed Jace. He couldn't lose him, especially not like this. Alec felt like a part of him would die with Jace if anything happened to him. 

 

 

Izzy had been discharged already; her arm was in a sling, her leg in boot, and her arms and face litered with scratches from shards of glass, but she was okay. She would need rest and to be careful of the concussion and whiplash, but she was okay. She'd left the waiting room to maybe get them both some coffee and to call their parents and Jace's girlfriend, Clary Fray. His little sister being okay was the only thing keeping Alec together right now.

 

 

_God,_ he could really use a hug from Magnus right now.

 

 

Magnus Bane was Alec's. . . well, Alec didn't know what he was, not anymore. He _had_ been Alec's boyfriend of about five months, at least until a few days ago. They had gotten into a fight. It had started small, something stupid, and then escalated and escalated until it was nothing more than a shouting match, both saying uncalled for things, making jabs that were meant to hurt. It had ended with Magnus storming out of Alec's apartment, both of them fuming. It only took a few hours before Alec's anger had disapated to sadness. They hadn't broken up, at least he didn't think so, but they also hadn't spoken since.

 

 

Now Alec was sitting here, having just _called_ him. Not even a text had passed between them, and yet here Alec was, his sister hurt, Jace possibly dying, and he just wanted to hear Magnus' calming voice, to feel his strong arms holding him, to cry into his shoulder.

 

 

It wasn't long after that Izzy returned. He quickly moved to sit up straighter, wipe his cheeks and eyes, and shove his phone into his pocket. He wasn't sure why; it wasn't like Izzy hadn't seen him cry before- hell, she'd seen him crying today- or that she would question why he'd had his phone out. Maybe it was just that he hadn't actually gotten around to telling her what had happened with Magnus yet. He'd told Jace; it wasn't even a day after their fight that Alec had shown up at Jace's apartment to cry and whine and drink. But with Izzy, Alec needed to figure out what was actually happening between the two of them before he told her.

 

 

As Izzy sat down, not even giving him a weird look, she informed him that Clary would be here soon and that their parents were taking the first available flight out and should arrive tomorrow morning. Alec didn't mention the tear tracks on her cheeks, as she hadn't mentioned his. Instead he just nodded, holding his hand out to his sister. She gripped it tightly, leaning to rest her head on Alec's shoulder. He turned, pressing a kiss to her hair.

 

 

They didn't know how long Jace's procedure would be. They would have to re-inflate his lung and repair his knee, which had been shattered in the collision. They wanted to do a scan of his brain to check for any damage. The thought of it all made Alec dizzy, feeling like a could puke. He forced himself to not even allow tears to well in his eyes, looking to the ceiling and blinking rapidly.

 

 

Alec didn't know how long they'd sat there. It had been about an hour after Izzy sitting down that Clary had arrived, her eyes frantic, worried, and tear filled. Izzy had gotten up to hug her tightly, fill her in on all they knew- which wasn't much- and Alec had stayed in the chair, staring blankly at the tile floor. When the red-headed girl sat on the other side of Alec, he offered her a small, sad smile. Clary placed her hand on Alec's arm, then slid it down to hold his other hand. Alec hadn't liked Clary at first, had honestly been a bit rude to her, but over time, they'd slowly become friends. They both loved Jace.

 

 

It was another lapse into a unknown time period of silence. Alec felt as though he couldn't breathe. Izzy and Clary were clutching his hands as they sat there, and as much as they all needed the comfort, even the weight of their hands in his felt restricting. The waiting room around him was bustling, people coming and going, doctors talking, quiet music playing in the background. Alec knew it was happening, but he wasn't hearing or seeing it. He was just staring at the ugly tiled floor. When he finally broke from his trance, it was by a familiar voice.

 

 

"Alexander."

 

 

Alec's head snapped up towards it. He met the eyes of a man dressed in black and glitter, worry filling them. Alec scrambled to his feet, releasing both girls. He slowly made his way over to him.

 

 

"Magnus," he croaked out, his voice rough from disuse and his earlier crying. He looked at Magnus' clothes, his eye catching on the ID badge hanging from a lanyard. Magnus was a social worker, specializing in helping kids who'd faced trauma get back on their feet and into the world.

 

 

"Shit," Alec said as he saw the badge. "You, you were at work. I'm so stupid, I knew that, I knew you would be, and I. . . I shouldn't have even called you, it was-"

 

 

Alec was stopped as Magnus placed a hand on his upper arm.

 

 

"Alec, it's okay. I just got your message or I would have been here earlier."

 

 

Magnus' voice was calm, soothing. So different from the last time Alec had heard it. Alec didn't know exactly how to feel. He hadn't really expected a call back let alone Magnus actually coming. Especially after their fight. But Alec didn't want to think about that right now. Instead he took a step closer, melting into the man before him. Alec buried his face into Magnus' neck, breathing in the scent of sandalwood, and Magnus put his arms around Alec's waist, holding him.

 

 

When they released each other a minute later, they moved back towards the chairs. Magnus hugged Clary and fussed over Izzy, brushing his hand through her hair and kissing her forehead as she hugged him. Soon after, the doctor Alec recognized as Jace's came into the room. Izzy and Alec scrambled to get to her, Clary and Magnus close behind. They didn't even have to say anything before the doctor gave them all a smile.

 

 

"Mr. Wayland is going to be just fine."

 

 

At that, all the tension in Alec's body was suddenly released. He felt like he was letting out a breath for the first time since he'd gotten the call about the crash. Izzy fell into his side, sighing out her own relief. The doctor gave them a kind look before continuing.

 

 

"He is going to have a long recovery, and there may be some difficulties. His lung is repaired, as is his knee, though both might cause him a little bit of pain in the coming weeks. With some medication and a few check-ups here and there, however, he will be okay. As for his head, he has a concussion, a severe one. It will require _careful_ healing, lots of rest, and medication."

 

 

Clary spoke up, "But he's okay? He'll heal and be able to get back to normal?"

 

 

The doctor smiled at her, and gave a curt nod. "He will, yes. Although, there is one small matter we noticed when we took brain scans. In the crash, when his head was hit, his body had maneuvered so that it was the back of his head that had gotten hit. It caused minimal damage to his occipital lobe."

 

 

Alec felt himself tense again. "What does that mean?"

 

 

"Like I said," the doctor replied, "it is a small matter. There is a slight chance, a slight, that he has gone blind in one or both his eyes. Now that is the worse case scenario. We've brought in an opthomologist to look them over and he agrees that it is only about a 10% chance. We won't know for sure until he wakes up, though our best guess is that the damage, since it is minimal, means that coming up soon he will need a pair of glasses."

 

 

Alec almost let out a smile. A pair of glasses. Jace will hate that.

 

 

"He's not awake?" Izzy asked quietly.

 

 

The doctor shook her head, "No. With the amount of medications we had to put him on, it is likely he won't wake for a few more hours. But you can see him if you'd like."

 

 

The four were lead into a room at the end of the hall. Inside there was tbe steady beating of a heart moniter and in the middle, laying in a bed of blue sheets, was Jace. He looked pale, bruises along his jaw and a nasty looking scratch above his eye and along his neck. His blond hair was dirty and knotted, and he looked strange in the patient outfit instead of his normal dark colors and leather jacket. But still, there he was, alive, breathing. Alec couldn't stop smiling at the sight of his brother alive. He'd been so scared. Alec felt Magnus grab his hand and squeeze it.

 

 

They stood in the room together for maybe a couple minutes before Clary asked if she could be alone with her boyfriend for a few minutes. Both Lightwood siblings agreed, Izzy saying she would call their parents with the update and Alec deciding to head back to the waiting room. Magnus never left his side. Before they arrived back to the waiting room, Alec stopped in the empty hallway. Magnus, who still held his hand, raised an eyebrow to him in question. Alec just let out a shaky breath before a small sob escaped from his throat. He was immediately wrapped in Magnus' arms as he cried.

 

 

"He's alive," Alec breathed out between sobs. "Holy shit, Magnus, he's okay. I thought he wouldn't be, I thought. . ."

 

 

As he cried, Magnus swayed them back and forth, a hand combing through Alec's hair. "Shh, I know, I know, Alexander. He's okay. Jace is okay. . ."

 

 

When Alec composed himself, he pulled out of Magnus' embrace, leaning against the wall. Magnus gave him the space he'd created.

 

 

"Your shirt," Alec let out weakly, sniffling as he gestured to the wet spot he'd created on Magnus shoulder. Magnus rolled his eyes in response.

 

 

"It's okay, Alec, I don't care."

 

 

Before they could lapse back into silence, Alec spoke.

 

 

"Thank you," he said. "For, for being here. You didn't have to be."

 

 

"Of course I did," Magnus replied quietly. "Where else would I be?"

 

 

Alec shrugged, "I thought maybe. . ."

 

 

"What? That I hated you?"

 

 

Alex didn't reply, just looking at the floor. He could see Magnus' boots as he took a step closer.

 

 

"Oh, Alexander. . ."

 

 

Alec looked up to see Magnus' eyes looking sad. He felt Magnus' palm come up to his cheek and instinctively leaned into it.

 

 

"You beautiful, ridiculous man. I could never hate you. Never."

 

 

Alec closed his eyes and took a deep breath before letting out a quiet, "I'm so sorry, Magnus."

 

 

He opened his eyes to Magnus taking another step forward, their chests almost touching now.

 

 

"I am, too, Alexander. I said things I shouldn't have, things I could never mean."

 

 

Alec shook his head, "It's my fault, I started it. I hate fighting with you and I'm so sorry about eveything I said."

 

 

Magnus gave a small smile.

 

 

"Alexander, you know that I truly, deeply love you, right? More than anything. I would move heaven and earth to be by your side."

 

 

Alec nodded. "I love you, too, Magnus. So much I can't even tell you."

 

 

Magnus leaned in, kissing Alec softly. Alec smiled into the kiss, bringing his hands up to hold Magnus' neck. They pulled back from each other, just barely. Their foreheads rested together, their noses brushing as they simply stood there, passing breaths between them. Alec could feel all his stress slowly seeping out. The sadness and fear of what would happen with Magnus, the terrifying pain of Jace almost dying, it was all gone. Magnus was standing right here, smiling up at him, and Jace was down the hall, breathing and healing.

 

 

The rest of the day, the rest of the week, Magnus and Alec were practically glued to each other's side. Even the animosity between Magnus and Alec's parents wouldn't seperate them. Magnus was there to hold his hand when Jace finally woke up, to smile with him when it was found that yes, Jace would only need glasses, and to hold him when Alec needed to cry again. Alec thought Jace seemed surprised to know that Magnus was there, and he was grateful that his brother didn't comment on it, instead just giving him a raised eyebrow and a smile. Alec just smiled shyly in response.

 

 

Jace's recovery would be hard, and so would Izzy's. The doctors requested someone stay with Jace during his recovery, and Alec knew his sister was hurting more emotionally than physically and didn't want her alone either. Between himself, Clary, and his parents, they'd developed what were basically shifts to take care of Jace, and Izzy would be staying with Alec for the time being.

 

 

As Alec stayed by his siblings' side, taking care of them, Magnus would stay by Alec's side, doing the same.


End file.
